>> welcome to "news 4 this week." >> hello. i'm wendy rieger. we will show you some of the most interesting stories making news. antiquing road show hits d.c. we go behind the shows as the popular appraisal show takes over the convention center. why did d.c. schools chancellor and kevin johnson call off their weekend wed something. what you need to know about different kinds of sugar. and a local linguist who is responsible for tracing our roots of our language back to africa. an exhibit at the smithsonian that praises his work. first, two new schools are open in prince george's county.

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including barack obama elementary. the first school in our area named for our president. megan mcgrath has more on the first day and the possibilities that lie ahead for those students. >> three, two, one! yay! >> reporter: at barack obama elementary in upper marlboro, it is not just the first day of school. it's the school's first day. the environmentally friendly green school is the first in the washington area to be named after president obama, both students and parents are excited. >> i think it is really big and there's a lot of teachers. >> i think that the president might come to this school and that will be very exciting. >> reporter: one of these days you hope to meet him? >> mm-hmm. >> it is a wonderful example. it shows things can get done, change is possible. if you work hard and study well and do your best you can be anything, including the president of the united states. >> group one, group two, group

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three. >> repter: also celebrating its opening is the possibility prep charter school founded by the group 100 black men of maryland. the goal of preparing the kids for college. another twist. the student body is all male. the hope is to cut down on distractions so the young men can focus on their studies and make america competitive in high tech sector. >> we feel this country is behind in the worlds in terms of individuals in the technical fields. all male education so our young men can be focused on education efforts. >> it is less distraction because i'm not trying to impress nobody. >> reporter: prince george's county got a $19 million grant to help four low-performing schools. students will see an increase in staff and additional instruction in core glasses.

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. metro is about to begin a major project to increase safety on the red lines. it comes at a price. handful of station s will have o close down for the labor day holiday. >> reporter: when the red line train slides into silver spring there is usually a decent sized crowd waiting. come labor day weekend they have to go to plan b. >> if we do it on labor day weekend we get in, get out. >> reporter: 10:00 p.m. september 3rd metro will close five red line stations glenmont, wheaton, forest glen and tacoma. 500 workers will tackle several projects. >> it brings up our safety and new lighting, new platform

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lighting is going in. >> reporter: metro will make safety improvement ts recommended by the national transportation safety board including track switches. >> you track out both directions, take it out, put a new switch in. it is like an upgraded version of any electrical thing. >> reporter: the largest maintenance project in metro's history. the transit agency said if not on labor day weekend it would be stretched over 150 shutdowns. some riders are not happy about the inconvenience. >> i'm pushed in the corner. what is this safety or three days comfort. my question is can they do it any other way? >> reporter: other riders understand. >> they are going to make it safer and get a lot of work in a small period of time, it is worth the tradeoff. >> reporter: everybody will have to deal with it. metro riders who need a plan "b" can take a free shuttle from the closed stations throughout

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the labor day weekend. so, the wedding is postponed. it is not going to be happening on labor day. the wedding of michelle rie and kevin johnson has been delayed. johnson used to play for the nba. a statement he released reads in part the reason we are making this change is our current wedding plans are not what we had intended. we underestimated the intensity of interest in the wedding and did not manage that well. which was our responsibility. so they say they are planning for a smaller, more private ceremony and keeping mum about the new date and the location. big public event here in d.c. it drew scores of people and that made them happy. a lot of junk turned out to be valuable. the convention center was the site of the popular pbs tv appraisal show antiques road show. here to sort out the treasures from the trash. >> reporter: it is a show seen each week by 10 million viewers

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all wanting to know if that is something of value or a worthless knickknack. >> we have no idea what is coming in the door. it is the most delicious part. we are a reality show. >> reporter: the executive producer was setting up the day long shoot at the washington convention center where 5,000 ticket holders selected from 23,000 applications will arrive with what they hope is something valuable seen by dozens of appraisers who will break hearts or break guests into wide smiles. >> bring something you can't look up on the internet. >> reporter: stage manager ron milton has worked all 14 years on the most popular tv show on pbs. it is a big fund-raising program, too. he seemed delighted and devastated. >> some people are disappointed but overall the whole road show experience is a fun one. thinking you have something that is real when, in fact, it is a

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fake, there is an educational aspect as well. >> reporter: only big pieces of furniture are prescreened, even else carries their own stuff. >> hawaiian bowl or something from india. regional things come out. >> reporter: this is the feedback booth. when does the d.c. show air? that won't be decided until later this year but it will be sometime in 2011. coming up on "news 4 this week" college is expensive. how to curb the high cost of being a senior. wh is getter, ice cream or look inside a more than? 17 billion dollar investment, and what do you see? at at&t, we see the dreams and ambitions of everyday americans coming true.

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we see an economic recovery taking root as businesses grow and prosper and add jobs, thanks to the amazing power of an open internet that works. america needs an internet that is always getting faster, safer, and more secure. at at&t, our investment last year of more than 17 billion dollars in the wireless and wired networks of tomorrow is what's fueling innovation today and creating jobs and opportunities now. we invest because we know the internet works. it's working for our children, our families, our economy and our future. and if there were ever a time to stick with what works, now is it. the future has always been our business. and the future begins now.

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local teams are doing well

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behind the wheel. u.s. news and world report has ranked washington number one for young drivers. the rankings are based on 11 statistics, including the number of teens with licenses, the number of teen driver deaths and driving safety laws in the state. california and colorado rounded out the top three, maryland was fourth, illinois was fifth. in our region virginia and west virginia were the worst ranking 33rd and 44th respectively. so these days getting a diploma isn't the only thing seniors have to worry about, college prep, dances, photos. how one family is dealing with the cost of just being a high school senior. >> reporter: single mom brenda brown is bracing for her daughter's senior year, not just the events, excitement and memorable moments but just what all that will cost. >> we just have to talk to her

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about what we can afford and try to give her a little bit of everything but you can't get everything. we have to pick and choose. >> you grow up really fast, you have to get a job. you have to do all this stuff just to be a senior. >> reporter: for seniors there is so much to choose from and save for. senior pictures, $350 package, graduation fees, the prom, homecoming, s.a.t. fees and prep courses and college application fees. >> homecoming and prom, that is hard to think about going to because you have to pay for them and they are very pricey. >> it came up to $1,700 and that doesn't include the car. >> reporter: and work. in addition to a full load of classes, marian is looking for a job. what can you do to make shelling out for senior year less painful? start saving and planning early.

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>> when you start saving in the ninth or tenth grade that is probably the best thing. the colleges, the fees, they go up. if you plan for that, at least you'll be halfway there. >> reporter: if your son or daughter is beginning the senior year, keep in mind ordering and paying early can pay off. there are often discounts earlier in the year and the deeper you get into the school year the more frequent events and expenditures become. >> every parent wants their child to have the best senior year ever. >> reporter: jim handly. some food for thought when choosing your ne

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new research is suggesting this rule for weight los. just add water. overweight adults who drank two eight-ounce glasses of water

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before every meal lost 30% more weight. those results work for people 35 or older. you might love desserts and sugary drink, but might not like what it does for your health. doreen gentzler has more. >> i'm into cookies, brownies, that kind of sweets. >> i like everything sugar is in. >> i love brown sugar because it is more natural but i love honey, too. >> we are a society of sugar addicts. >> i feel like it is a cycle where our bodies want more and more of it. >> reporter: but with millions of us battling obesity, nutrition experts agree many of us agree we are getting too much of a sweet thing. a registered dietitian says way too much. >> this is the amount of added sugar in a typical week. three times considered safe as

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an upper level and mostly from sweetened beverages. >> reporter: drinking one sweetened tea or energy drink is a double shot of straight sugar, the amount most people should have over two days. >> there are sugars in foods we think are good for us. we might grab a granola bar. they have a half a day to a full day's sugar in one. >> reporter: the trick is to read the ingredient list, look for the added sugars and try to avoid them, not just white sugar, but honey, molasses or high fructose corn syrup. you should limit your intake to two tablespoons a day or 25 to 30 grams. that can be tough considering

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this small pudding has the same amount of sugar as the entire container of coco covered almonds. >> if you have candy and soda, just one is over your limit. >> reporter: the best way to keep your sugar intake low is fruits and dried fruits. sweet treats that will satisfy a sweet tooth and contain vitamins and minerals. >> flip over the package and look for different types of sugar. more than 4 grams of sugar, i recommend people to look for something else or consume it in moderation because chances are what you're eating is not as good for you as something with natural sugar. >> doreen gentzler, news 4. >> after all that, if you can't resist something like ice cream, gelatto or frozen yogurt. those frozen treats are different when it comes to taste

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and nutrition. liz crenshaw has the frozen facts on some of your favorite cold desserts. >> i thought my husband was crazy six years ago. he had this crazy idea of opening a gelatto store. >> this couple had no idea their gelatto shop would be such a hit here in d.c. it has grown 700% in the last six years. >> we are so proud of what we make. it is not about the money. it is about making a difference. >> reporter: their gelatto is so popular because it is made by hand in this tiny kitchen tucked underneath their georgetown store. they use local ingredients. when it comes to whipping up blackberries and cream and sicillian pistachio, what makes this different from a scoop of ice cream or a cup of frozen yogurt? we went to a chef for some

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answers. >> gelatto is a little bit lower in fat than regular ice cream. it is spun at a lower rate of speed so there is less what we call overrun in there. the air. >> reporter: less air means creamier and denser. ice cream by law is required to have 10% fat is made with cream and sugar and is spun faster than gelatto so there is more air in it. then there's frozen custard. frozen custard, the trick is? >> egg yolk. >> reporter: it has a higher fat content because of egg yolks. what about frozen yogurt? that is made with milk, how does it get its signature tangy taste? >> yogurt is a cultured milk product. >> reporter: if you are trying to avoid dairy, check out sorbet, commonly sold at gelatto

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shops. it is made with sugar, water and flavoring. >> it is good. >> reporter: of these five frozen summer favorites what is your best bet if you are trying to look good poolside? one serving of ice cream is 140 calories and seven grams of fat, gelatto, 150 calories, six grams of fat, frozen custard, 330 calories, 11 grams of fat, plain frozen yogurt, 100 calories, two grams of fat, sorbet, 113 calories and no fat. if you are really trying to watch your figure, you may want to avoid this frozen fun altogether. >> i would pick the gym. but if you want something lower in fat, possibly healthier, go with a fat-free frozen yogurt or sorbet. >> reporter: liz crenshaw, news 4. we will go inside the new smithsonian exhibit. our

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an african proverb says you can identify a person's tribe by the language they cry in. hundreds of years ago slaves were brought to this country bearing their sorrow in many tongues. but the words and customs of their homeland were diluted in the generations that followed. or where they? the smithsonian anacostia museum has linguist dow turner who 80 years ago went to the southern coast of the u.s. and brazil and found africa. ♪ >> reporter: the gullas live in south carolina and georgia. the descendants of african slaves and managed to maintain the distinct dialect and customs traced back to sierra leone

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where most of their ancestors were abducted. >> they kept their language and culture and food. they were able to name their children with african names to keep the traditions alive. >> reporter: the connections between the gulla and africa were discovered by lorenzo dow turner who devoted his life to documenting the ghost of africa that still lingered in america's black communities. word, shout, song. a new exhibit at the smithsonian anacostia community museum celebrating the works of turner and shows us how africa was allowed to survive the middle passage and take root in the new world. the words of a gulla funeral song are displayed, almost identical to the mindy funeral song sung by one woman in a small village in sierra leon.

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the gulla woman whose grandmother learned the song from her mother who was a slave from sierra leon. mary is taken back to the village where she and her granddaughter sing the song for her african sisters. >> this song survived 300 years in america. >> reporter: the woman in the village says her grandmother told her one day someone will sing this song and you know it will be a relative. turner's greatest discovery was in brazil. the religion practiced there came from west africa and has richly maintained its african ritual to this day. it is one of the most african communities outside the continent. the exhibit word, shout, song, lorenzo dow turner, connecting community through language is

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getting a lot of traffic. >> awesome. >> it is not cliche. it is something that you might not think about but you definitely need to know about. >> reporter: a costume stands in one exhibit. it represents the goddess of wind and storm. lorenzo dow turner shows us another powerful element, a warm african breeze carried on the breath of the spoken word. word, shout, song is on display at the smithsonian's anacostia community museum until the end of march. please go see it. it is fascinating. that is all for "news 4 this week." thanks for joining us. i'm wendy rieger. i hope you continue to have a fabulous weekend. look inside a more than

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